NEWSLETTER

Awards and Honors

InFocus  •  Fall 2024 Issue  •  November 24, 2024  

Below are some of the recent awards and honors received by our Penn Pathology and Laboratory Medicine community. 


 

 Nicole Aqui, MD was named to The Pathologist Magazine's 2024 Power List, an annual celebration of the inspirational figures behind innovation and achievement in pathology and laboratory medicine. Dr. Aqui was named one of the Heroes of Pathology, problem-solvers for those in difficulty.


 

 Zubair W. Baloch, MD, PhD received the 2024 Robert Dunning Dripps Memorial Award for Excellence in Graduate Medical Education as part of the Penn Medicine Awards of Excellence. The Dunning Dripps Award recognizes excellence in educators of residents and fellows in clinical care, research, teaching, or administration.


 

 Douglas B. Cines, MD was awarded the 2024 Henry M. Stratton Medal for Basic Science from the American Society for Hematology for his outstanding contributions to the field. Dr. Cines's more than 40 years of research discoveries have led to significant increases in the understanding and treatment of thrombocytopenic disorders, including immune thrombocytopenia, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), and thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.

Caren Gentile, MS, Research and Development Coordinator for the Division of Precision and Computational Diagnostics, was selected for the FY24 Cohort of the Penn Medicine Futures Program. Participants, who are nominated by entity leadership, learn about leveraging their strengths, creating development plans, and exploring systemwide career management opportunities at Penn Medicine. 

 


 

Laurel J. Glaser, MD, PhD D(ABMM), Kyle G. Rodino, PhD, D(ABMM) and Vivianna M. Van Deerlin, MD, PhD are the recipients of Penn Medicine's 2024 Alfred Stengel Health System Champion Award. 

The Stengel Award recognizes physicians who have made significant contributions toward the clinical integration and efficiency of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, along with demonstrated commitment to the improvement of quality care.

Together, Drs. Glaser, Rodino, and Van Deerlin’s selfless leadership and tireless efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the establishment of a comprehensive testing program that conducted over 800,000 tests for the University and sequenced more than 7,500 SARS-CoV-2 genomes to monitor viral variants. Through innovative project management, outreach, and a steadfast commitment to quality care, they not only enhanced patient management and community health in real time but also laid the groundwork for system-wide improvements that will benefit the health system for years to come.

 


 

 Lindsay Guare was one of the pre-doctoral recipients of the ASHG Trainee Research Excellence Awards from the American Society of Human Genetics. Each year, the ASHG honors excellence in research conducted by predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees (including genetic counseling trainees) through merit-based awards that recognize highly competitive abstracts submitted and presented at the ASHG Annual Meeting. Lindsay is pictured here with her mentor, Dr. Shefali Setia Verma. 


 

 Andrew J. Rech, MD, PhD received one of the NIH Director's Early Independence Award for his project, "Response and Resistance to Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy in Human Solid Tumors Using Spatial Multi-Omics."  These awards support promising, newly graduated scientists as they launch their independent research careers. 

Two of our staff were recently featured as Penn Medicine Difference Makers - Cynthia Skotnicki and Jenny To. 

HUP Cytotechnologist Cynthia Skotnicki was highlighted for her long history of volunteering at Osborn Family Health Center in Camden, NJ, which uses the research-supported Reach Out and Read Model to teach parents strategies for early child literacy. Cynthia recently received a Penn Medicine CAREs grant to purchase 100 bilingual books, which are greatly needed but typically more expensive, for the program.

Jenny To, HUP Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Administrative Services Manager, was featured for her operational excellence. As a go-to resource for her colleagues, Jenny's knowledge, organization, and dedication help the Lab Medicine team thrive operationally. Jenny was also instrumental in the coordination of events for over 800 employees during Medical Laboratory Professionals Week.